re: Bama Football Tidings

Neal is getting his feet wet in the early going of the season when it hasn't gotten to the meat of the schedule. Brown will absolutely be in the lineup when he returns. He's an earth mover. Those guys need to be totally set by time Texas A&M comes up.

Alabama DB's work on footwork and quickness at practice
2:45
Touchdown Alabama Magazine
Published on Sep 3, 2019
Check out the Alabama defensive backs continue to refine their skills as the season continues this Saturday.

Outside Linebackers On Tuesday
2:06
Travis Reier BOL
Published on Sep 3, 2019
September 3, 2019

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Photo: Stuart McNair, 247Sports)
DeVonta Smith learns from mistake that kept him out a quarter By Charlie Potter

quote:

---

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- DeVonta Smith was one of four Alabama players suspended for the first quarter of the team’s season-opening game against the Duke Blue Devils this past Saturday.

The junior wide receiver said, “It’s not going to happen again.”

“I think it was something that we all learned from because I don’t believe any of us would want somebody else to do that,” Smith said Tuesday afternoon. “It was a learning experience. We kind of all took it and handled it well. We made a mistake and we’re going to learn from this.”

Smith, running backs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson and linebacker Terrell Lewis watched the first 15 minutes of the Crimson Tide’s eventual 42-3 win from the sideline because of missing a mandatory team function during Alabama’s preseason camp. Smith and Harris were on the field for the first play of the second quarter and were heavily involved on offense the rest of the way.

Smith has been held out of games before, though not for disciplinary reasons. As a sophomore in 2018, the Amite, La., native missed the Tennessee contest with a hamstring injury. But when it would be easy to not be engaged, Smith uses the unique vantage point to continue to learn.

“I would say it definitely taught me a lesson, but it kind of opened up the things we were trying to do on offense,” Smith said. “I saw things, looking from the sidelines, like you said, seeing things and what Coach Sark was really trying to do. … Just the schemes he’s trying to do, the meaning of everything from the run plays to the pass plays to the RPOs, the way you read it.

“Once you see it from the sidelines, you’re like, ‘Oh, OK. That’s why he’s doing this.’”

Smith said the offense doesn’t “feel that much different” from last year, other than how and when Steve Sarkisian calls plays. But Smith wasn’t complaining Saturday. Once he entered the game, the wideout was the recipient of three straight passes from junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“I mean, no matter when you come in you always thinking about trying to make an impact,” Smith said. “For that to happen, I didn’t expect it, but it happened, so I just went on with it.”

Smith caught five passes for 54 yards and a touchdown against Duke and was one of five wide receivers to haul in at least five receptions along with Jerry Jeudy (10) and Jaylen Waddle (5). Add in Henry Ruggs III, and Alabama’s top four receivers accounted for 22 catches, 295 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener and bringing back memories of the 2019 campaign.

The Tide didn’t utilize its four-receiver set -- or “red” personnel -- against the Blue Devils, but Smith and the rest of the “Ryde Outs” can’t wait to be on the field together at the same exact time.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Smith said. “I just really want to see how, with us being out there, how things are going to be called. You game plan for different teams and you have different things certain ways. You can’t just go out there every game and go red. Depending on who the opponent is, you’re going to game-plan and go with whatever personnel you want to.”

---

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

Hate it for him.

Wow, wonder what happened. Kid was a super athlete coming out of high school.

Nick Saban talks New Mexico State, provides player status updates (al.com)

quote:

---

Nick Saban addressed the media Wednesday in his final news conference before Alabama plays its home opener Saturday against New Mexico State.

Here is a summary of what he said:

— Saban said Alabama pushed the players and placed them in difficult circumstances in practice this week. Saban said the message to the team this week can be distilled into a simple question: Can you stay focused? “Distractions can’t bother you,” Saban added.

— Saban said there were no new injuries to report. Saban did say offensive lineman Hunter Brannon has medical issues and hasn’t been cleared. His status is uncertain. Defensive back Nigel Knott, according to Saban, is taking a medical redshirt for an undisclosed condition and explained the training staff didn’t think he should play football.

— Saban said New Mexico State has good concepts in the passing game and that they try to get the ball out on the perimeter. “It will be a challenge for us to cover,” Saban added. Saban wasn’t pleased with the coverage in the deeper zones against Duke.

— Saban said Alabama wasn’t playing the right coverage when freshman safety Jordan Battle made an interception in the fourth quarter.

— Saban joked that his wife, Terry, made him run on the treadmill for 20 minutes after he was penalized with unsportsmanlike conduct in the victory over Duke.

---

Alabama Crimson Tide on 247Sports · Instant Analysis: Wednesday from Facebook Live

here is the BOL Instant Analysis link too:
Instant Analysis: Wednesday By Travis Reier
21:50
Since 2008, BamaOnLine.com's Instant Analysis has been a staple of Crimson Tide football coverage. That won't change in 2019, as we'll continue to provide Alabama fans with insight and interaction fresh from Tuscaloosa.

As for items we touched on during the latest edition of IA, they included:
Paid content by Home Depot Prep. Paint. Perfect. We have the starting lineup to help you color with confidence. Go ahead, tackle your paint projects.

* Dime day for defense.

* Updates on quarterbacks, running backs, offensive line and injuries.

* Tons of interaction in the Q&A segment!

Alabama quarterbacks continue to work on chemistry at practice
1:57
Touchdown Alabama Magazine
Published on Sep 4, 2019
The quarterbacks unit for the Alabama crimson tide worked with the team's running backs and wide receivers to continue to diversify the passing game.

One Alabama player's career ends; another's future is uncertain By Charlie Potter

quote:

---

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- One Alabama player’s playing career has ended while another player’s future remains in the air, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban revealed after Wednesday’s practice.

“Nigel Knott has redshirted medically for some of the medical issues that he had,” Saban said in a press conference. “He’s in school here. We want to support him and help him to get an education. He was a very good teammate for a lot of our players. He worked hard, really did a good job in this program, but the medical staff felt that it was not in his best interest to be able to continue to play football.”

A redshirt junior, Knott is the only Alabama player to not step on the practice field this fall. The Madison, Miss., native appeared in 10 games last year as a reserve and collected his first tackle in the Arkansas game in Week 6. Knott was a 4-star recruiting in the 2016 cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was the nation’s No. 8 cornerback and No. 66 overall prospect.

The player with an uncertain future is redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Hunter Brannon, who has not been on the practice field in recent days after appearing limited in the preseason.

“He’s got medical issues that we’re dealing with,” Saban said. “He has not been cleared to come back and play. What the future holds for him is still sort of a question mark, whether he’ll be able to come back and play or not. So, we just have to wait and see how that works out.”

Brannon redshirted in 2017 and did not see the field in 2018. The Cullman, Ala., native was the state of Alabama’s No. 42 prospect and the No. 12 center in 2017, per the 247Sports Composite.

Other than those two players, Saban said there were no new injuries to report.

Earlier Wednesday, the coach said that freshman defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe (foot) will return to the practice field in “a week or two.” Eboigbe has been doing work with trainers off to the side while wearing a black, no-contact jersey and altitude training mask in recent practices.

Alabama will host New Mexico State in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3 p.m. CT

---

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

The Next Post is yet another Take On NIGEL